Minnesota Wild: Central Division Preview; Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators had a strong season in 2015-16 and are looking to build on their 2nd round playoff appearance. They dominated the Minnesota Wild to the tune of 3-1-0 last season and will look to continue that dominance against them and the rest of the Central Division.

In our look up and down the Central Division we now have come to the first team to finish above the Minnesota Wild in the division standings last season the Nashville Predators. The Preds finished an impressive 41-27-14 last season which was only good enough for 4th in the division, but earned the team the top Wild Card berth in the Western Conference. They rode that playoff berth impressively to a second round loss against the eventual Western Conference Champs the San Jose Sharks.

The Preds dominated the Wild in their regular season series posting a 3-1-0 record against the green and red warriors of the north. The Wild were unable to close the standings in the head-to-head match ups with the Preds and thus were doomed to look up at them in the standings for most of the second half of the season. This year could be much the same as the Preds look to be about the same team or even slightly better depending on who you ask.

Mar 5, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban (76) watches the play during the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports /

Free-agent wise this is a team that did little of anything except sign a few low level players to simple deals. It was the trade market where they made a huge splash, perhaps the biggest splash of the offseason. The Preds shipped off their captain and top defender Shea Weber to Montreal in exchange for high powered defender P.K. Subban.

Some would argue that trading Weber for Subban was a zero sum game, but it might have been just the right move for an offensively challenged Preds blueline. Subban gives Nashville more of a puck moving point scoring ability than Weber did. Moreover, Subban is signed for eight years and is much younger than Weber giving the Preds a much bigger return in the long run.

May 5, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen (92) against the San Jose Sharks in game four of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Minus Weber the core of this team is still very intact. The Preds didn’t really lose any significant parts to free-agency and are looking to capitalize on a group of young players that are only getting better. Filip Forsberg is a superstar in the making with excellent hands and skating moves, Ryan Johansen will be looking to cash in on his first full season with his Nashville pals, and defender Roman Josi will be looking to be the defensive yin to Subban’s offensive yang on the top defensive paring.

Add to these young guns a steady group of vets like newly named captain Mike Fisher, gritty winger James Neal, and set-up man Mike Riberio and you can see how Nashville is every bit as dangerous this season as they have been the last two seasons. They’ve got a real chance to climb up the standings and possibly dominate the Wild again.

May 12, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) makes a save against San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) in the second period in game seven of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

But wait a minute there might be one big question mark that could hold them back. Goaltender Pekka Rinne seems to have taken a big step back last season. Statistically he had what amounted to be his second worse campaign last season and casted a doubt if the Finnish netminder was starting a decline in his career. With only a .908 save percentage and a 2.48 goals against average he’ll need to improve if the Preds want to climb up and compete for the top of the division.

The key for the Wild to be better against the Preds will be to pepper Rinne early and often. With such a low save percentage if the Wild put a lot of pucks on him he’ll eventually let a few in. Also their defense got a little weaker with the loss of Weber so pushing the play in the offensive zone will be key. Defensively the Wild will need to play physically to make sure that the big forwards of the Preds don’t try and grind out goals in the offensive zone of the Wild.